Railway track servicing apparatus



y 1952 w.- RICHARDSON 2,602,694

RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING APPARATUS I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 4, 1948 H6172. Ha; Z

ATTORNEYS.

W. RICHARDSON RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING APPARATUS July 8, 1952 a 0 11 M m e T P E m N M N Q. m w m w mfl w w n A h m S .l kw. NQN QNN m 111 11.111, 11111 4 11111 9 n u J d m 5 1 RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING APFARATUS Filed 'June 4, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 z/mfl/w o6] 8 @mWd/m' By ATTORNEYS.

y 8, .1952 w. RICHARDSON 2,602,694

RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING APPARATUS Filed June 4, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 4 A 163 21 ya 7.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

Wli lzz/lzflilfiaz dsoiz, I BY Ccwl W I ATTORNEYS.

July 8, 1952 w. RICHARDSON 2,602,694

RAILWAY TRACK SERVICING APPARATUS Filed June 4, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE'NTOR: Mimi/23117242590,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 6 Claims. 1

This: invention relates: to apparatus useful in servicing. railway tracks, 1. e. in carrying out such operations .as air blasting to remove, dirt and cinderincrustations from the track rails and fromthe track beds, and in spraying the rails with grease forprotection-against rust and for lubrication of-joints'and bolts.

In connection with such apparatus having the form of a truck with wheels for mobility on the track rails, I aim to provide for propulsion of the truck, operation of an incorporated brake system, spraying both for. the purposes of rail cleaning and lubrication, or greasing for rust prevention, and removal and replacement of the apparatus from the rails and vice versa, with the aid of compressed air produced by an internal combustion engine and compressor unit mounted on the truck.-

A further'aim of. my invention is to provide for heating the grease and maintaining it in a fluent condition suitable for thespraying. This latter objective I attain, ashereinafter more fully disclosed, through a simple and reliable meansby which the hot exhaust gases from the engine and the hot water are utilized to heat the grease in a supply receptacle wherefroin it is pumped, and by which the exhaust gases are also utilized to heat the grease in a connecting spraying hose for maintenance in a fluent condition, particularly in cold weather.

Other objects-and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a mobile track rail servicing apparatus .conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig.2 shows the apparatus in topplan.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the right hand end elevation of theapparatus as considered in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similarto Fig. 3 withcertain parts broken out and others. in section,..showing the apparatus lifted in readinessv for removal from the track rails orfo'r re-railing- Figs. 5 andd are fragmentary views in press sectiontaken as indicated respectively bytthe angled. arrows -V+V and 1VI--VI. in. Figs. land 3.

Fig. .7 is a diagrammatic. view: in top plan showing the compressed air system and. mechanism with; its ..controls provided. for propelling the apparatus, applying or ,releasingthe brakes and elevating the apparatus inreadinesafor removal from the rails .or for reerailing.

Fig. '8 is a fragmentary. detail view. partlyin top plan. and partly 111; horizontal .sectionataken 2 as indicated by the.v angled. arrows VIIL=-VIIl1in Fig, 1.

Fig. 9 is. afragmentar-y view partlyinendelevationandpartly inyerticalsection taken..as indicated by. the angled arrows IX IX in Fig. 10 isa horizontalsection taken-as. indicated by the-angled arrow in Fig. 9..

Fig-.11. is a fragmentary detail view taken as indicated bythe angled arrows XI-XIin Fig..10.

Fig. 12.is;a view inelevation showing a heating element formaintaining. the grease in the supply receptacle in .fluentcondition during the spraymg.

Fig. 13 shows means which I have devised .to

facilitate. replacement of, the grease receptacle,

after .it'isemptied, by. a fresh filled-one;

Fi .14: is a .detail .section takenas indicated by the angled arrows in Fig. 2.

As herein. illustrated, my improved railway track .servicingapparatus is characterized. by having-a horizontal truck platform Ill, with side longitudinals- H and connecting crossmembers I2, and. with two pairs of flanged supporting wheels. is arrangedto run on trackrails R, R. Mounted on theplatform l0 along one side thereofat. one corner, is, a power unit l5 which may be of anyapproved commercial type, with a housing: l6- wherein is enclosed a water cooled internal combustion engine and. adirect driven air compresser which latter are respectivelymdicated by the .dot andMdash. line-rectangles I! and. Min Fig-2.. Compressed air is' conducted from the compressor-J8 through a pipe linel9 to a, storage tank 2| mounted onthe platform I!) at' the adjacent. corner immediately'rearward of the power unit l5." Superposed upon the air tan-k 2| is-a supply reservoir 22. for the -fuelused to operate theinternalcombustion engine ll. Forthepropulsion' of :the truckand for other purposes later pointed out, I haveshown an air motor 23, which, throughja sprocket chain-:25 (Fig. 5); is arranged to .drivea power shaft composed of two axially alignedpectionsrZfii-and 21, the latter of these sectionsribeing in .turn connected, by another sprocket. chain .28 tonne of the wheel axles: [4: as

best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Whenthetruck is to be. run ontheztrack rails R, thesection 27. ofthe power :shaft isgconpled; with :the section 26 by meansof a clutcha2fl arranged to be operated by a handlev'ertfl; Compressed .air is conducted to the airamotor' 23 from the. reservoir .2! by way'of .pipingxBl, m, 3H) (Fig. '7) under control of interposed hand valves 45 :and v ltgrespfectively-at oppositeends of the track...:;For reversing 'thetmotor 23;.Ij have shown-a manually operable valve with hand lever 32. The truck is, moreover, equipped with a brake rigging whereof the shoes 33 (Fig, 1) are pivotally suspended from brackets 34 adjacent the respective wheels [3. By means of toggle bars 35, the brake shoes 33 are connected to a link 35 suspended from a horizontal arm 3'! on a transverse rock shaft 33. An upstanding arm 39 also secured to the rock shaft 38 is connected to the piston rod 45 of an air cylinder 4! which is movable about a fixed pivot 42. A spring 43 influential upon the piston of the cylinder 4| serves to normally keep the brakes set. The brakes are automatically released concurrently with starting of the motor 23 by operation of either of the valves 55 or 46 through admission of compressed air into the front end of the cylinder 4| by way of a branch connection 44 extending from a pipe 3 lb. In order that the brakes may be manually released when necessary or desired, I have provided a hand lever 4'! which is loosely connected at 43 to the piston rod 40 of the cylinder 4!. As shown the hand lever 41 has a retractable latch rod 49 capable of being engaged with a fixed angle bar 50 on the truck frame Ill when saidlever is swung leftward in Fig. 1 to hold the brakes released. The power and brake application mechanism is claimed in a separate patent application Ser. No. 225,243, filed by me on May 8, 1951.

Fixedly positioned on an elevated base 5| at another corner of the platform I is an upright open-topped cistern '2 capable of accommodating within it, with substantial clearance all around, a drum 53 containing the grease which is to be used in the spraying of the rails R; and disposed within the cistern is a upwardly withdrawable heating unit which is comprehensively designated 54 in Figs. 9 and 12. At the bottom of the cistern '52 are laterally spacedbars 55 upon which the drum 53 is directly supported with its bottom elevated somewhat above that of-the cistern. The heating unit 54 comprises a circumferentially flanged plate 5! which serves as a cover for the drum 53 and from which a pipe coil 56 is suspended. As shown, the turns of coil 56 are secured by means of U bolts 55 to sustaining bars Bl] pendent from the cover 51. The ends 56a and 55b of coil 56 extend up through the cover 5'], the end 56a being connectedto a transversely arranged pipe line BI,

Bla which is coupled at 63 to one end of a flexible conduit 64 leading to the water flow outlet 64a on the engine and compressor cooling radiator 65 of the power unit l5. The other end 56?) of coil 56 is connected to a pipe '66 which extends diametrically through the lower part of the pressure equalizing chamber 61 of a grease pump later described, said chamber being mounted on the cistern cover 51. As shown, the pipe 61 is continuous with a pipe 68 which, through another flexible conduit 65, is connected to the water return inlet 19 on the cooling radiator 65 of the power unit l5. Within the coil 56, at an elevation somewhat above the bottom of drum 53, is an auxiliary flattened cylindric box-like heating element 15, see Figs. 8 and 9, with a tubular axial core and a diametral bafiie Tl which terminates somewhat short of the bottom of said element. Extending down from the cover 51 and connecting into the top of the element 15 respectively to opposite sides of the baflie 71, are flow and return pipes 18 and 19. The terminals of these pipes 18 and 19 also extend through the cover 51, the pipe 18 being directly connected to the cross pipe 6!, and the pipe 19 to a horizontal branch which, in turn, connects with the pipe 66. As a consequence of this arrangement, the flow of the hot water from the radiator 65 is divided to follow courses respectively through the coil 56 and through the auxiliary heating element 15 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figs. 8 and 9, where by the grease in the drum 53 is heated to a free-flowing consistency, the flow being controllable by means of the hand valve indicated at 8 I.

In order to prevent thermal losses by radiation from the grease in the drum 53, the cistern 52 is kept filled with water as conventionally shown in Fig. 9, and the water heated substantially to the boiling point by passage through it of the 'hot exhaust gases from the engine ll of the power unit 5. The means relied upon to carry out this function includes two U-shaped tubes which are arranged in parallel relation with their vertical branches 85a and 35b in the circumferential interval between the tank and drum, and with their connecting branches 85c extending crosswise of the bottom of the tank beneath the drum 53. The tubes 85 are joined by a tri-fitting 83 which, through a flexible conduit 81, is in direct communication with the exhaust manifold 33 of the engine [1. The discharge from the terminal ends 85d of the tubes 85 is normally deflected upwardly by the inclined baille indicated at 89 in Fig. 9.

The heated fluent grease is drawn from the drum 53 by an air operated pump 98 shown as mounted upon the top of the cover 5? alongside the pressure equalizing chamber 67, through a suction pipe 3i which extends down through said cover and through the axial core of the auxiliary heating element 15 to a point slightly above the drum bottom. The pump 90 forces the grease into the pressure equalizing chamber 51 by way of a pipe 92, and discharge of the grease from said chamber takes place through another pipe 93 in which a manual control safety valve 34 is interposed. As shown, valve 94 has a lateral bleed outlet 94a, see Figs. 8 and 9, with a discharge connection down through the cover 5'! into the grease drum 53, so that when the pressure in the equalizing chamber El exceeds a predetermined degree, the excess grease delivered through the pipe 93 is returned to said drum. The gauge at 95 in Figs. 8 and 9 serves to indicate the pressure at which the grease is delivered. Compressed air for operating pump 93 is conducted to the latter by way of a pipe 93 (Figs. 2, 8 and 9) under control of a throttle valve 9?, said pipe being in communication with the air reservoir 2i by way of a hose 93 (Fig. 2). An associated pressure gauge 99 is relied upon to indicate the pressure corresponding to diflerent settings of the valve 91.

For use in the spraying, I have provided a hose H10 which is ordinarily wound upon self-winding reel llll enclosed in a protective housing I32 on the truck platform centrally of one end thereof, see Figs. 2 and 14. As shown, the hose Hill has a nozzle IE3 at its free end, its other end connecting into a hollow in one of the journal bearings Hi4 of the reel I03 to which the grease is delivered from the outlet pipe 33 leading from the pressure equalizing chamber (Figs. 2 and 8) through an intermediate hose section I05 under control of a hand valve I06. From Fig. 14 it will be observed that the reel lllfl is supported on a hollow base It! which serves as a radiator within the housing I02. Hot exhaust gases from the-engine ;or the power-iunitfi; areconducted to the radiator base I01 by a flexible :tube I08 whereof one end is: connected .to the; exhaust :gas fitting: 8,6 Afters. traversin the; radiator-bas I01, the. .hotgases; pass .off;through;avertioalrexr haust'; pipe. :-I59..1having;a: mufflerr I II! :atzthestop, By this arrangement; theagrease in the; reel hose ||lfii$ kept'in a fluenti conditionatl.the.:temperatureznormally maintained in the grease drum53. As shown inxl i 2, a considerable. .length'rofithe intermediate. hose section. I I151 normally kept in :aligning;contactrwith: the 1 gas conduit I 08;: so that the grease: in 'saidsectionisalso kept fluent. Flow of the, hot gases: through, vthe. radiator; base I=fl1 of the. reel Y I I! I 'maybe interrupted by:,,c-losing theivalve at H I, (Fig.1 li in-exhaust pipel-Itnzso that-the entire exhaust: discharge-. from theuene gine-can, be employedto heat the water in: the cistern 52 -for-liquification of the grease ins-the drum 53 in preparation for-spraying.- After the grease in the drum '53 has been brought to the proper-temperature, the -hot gas flow-may be :diverted to pass through the radiator base- Ifi'I'f-Of the' reel housing I02 bytemporarily inserting a cut offplate I I2 -(Fig. 9)-behind the inclined-bar.- fle'89' so as to stop the discharge-ends 85d of-the tubes 85. Asshown in Figs.-- 2 and 8,-the-hose I05 is provided with a coupling -I I3,-and thepipe 98leading irom theair tank 2'I to the' rease pump 90'wi-th a coupling 98a; Byreasonof this arrangement, the hose IIJB -can be-disconnected at-the coupling I I3 and'connectedto the air pipe- BS- at-thecoupling 98a, and said-hose thenused for blowing greaseremaining in the ;hose I08 backinto the grease-drum53 atthe end of a days work? When this change is made, it is ofcourse necessary-to-close the shut-off valve- I 05 in the grease delivery pipe-:53. In-order- -that compressed air, may be'utilizedto blast offdirtand cinder incrustations-from the railsbefore' the latter aresprayed withgrease; I provide ;a suitable length of separate hose which is partly shown "at I18'in Fig; 2 and connect it to. the air pipe,,l1 3 .athI19 withinterposition of a control valve I80; In practice, the reel housing IE2 is so arranged that it canbetransposed to the opposite end of the truck as indicated in dot and dash lines at I 02stin- Fig; -2- for convenience of air blasting from that end of said truck: 4

As the :drumx53becomes(bouyant'upon withdrawalof the grease therefrom, it is held against upward, displacement in the cistern 52 by aphiralityof lashing ropes or cablespI I5 whereofycorrespondingends aresecuredito a ring IIfiengageable with a hook I I1 at theside of the. cistern near thetop. As shown inil'iigs. 1 and ;2,,the cables I I 5 1 are individually. passed downward underlguideisheaves III; on the platform =5Il and then .upward over guide sheaves II9 adjacent the-top ofthe cistern 52. withloops I28 at their free endsimpaled over hooks I2I at circumferential, intervals on a removable .clamp band I22 surrounding the grease drum 53pat the top;

For-the. purpose of removing the heating'unit 54?;111 preparation for the substitution of anew filled [greasedrum for the-drum- 53 when the latter is empty, Ivhave provided a crane I25 whereof the swivel post I25 is rotatively supported at its lower end in a base bearing I21 at the center of the truck platform I0, and at the top in a bearing I28 sustained by three fixed bracing struts I29. The boom I30 of the crane I25 is adjustable for angularity by a tie member comprising a yoke member I3I which is pivotally connected to the post at I3Ia and a rod member l3kwhichcis similarly; -connected; to the ..boom;at I321; The rod member-r I32.1passes. ;througn;.an aperture;in.,.the; crossbar. of the'yoke member :I 31 and .terminatesin aslide blockl 33.; A.v pin. 1 35 selectively Aengageable' through holes, I 36 ginzthe.

side; arms; of the yoke member .I 3 It and projectableihroueh a .hole in: the block 133,- serves to secure :the boom; I 39 in; angular-1y adjusted positions; The :hook I31,oft-thecraneis suspended ironrrthe loop; I3B;,of.;a lift cable; I39 :which: latter ,whiclL-ltheecasingsr of; the pressure equalizing chambers. 5,1;iand; the ;.iair-coperated grease .pump 9Ufsareconnectedzatuthe, top.. With this 'accom-' plished; lithe cable I3 5 is wound :uponv the .shaft I ifizto .withclraw thegheatingn unit54 until it clears the top of. the t cistern 52,; whereupon the 1000m -l30 :is'swung about to apost I52 upstandingiromthestruck frame III at one end adjacent thecistern' 52', andthe ringlfie of said unit engaged withivthel hookl'end I53 of thearm of said posterior temporary suspension therefrom as shown; in Fig.11 2r While the heating unit 54 is somsuspended, .a suitable pan (not shown) is placed beneathit to: catch the grease :drip therefrom. With the heating unit 54 now out ofthe way, the crane I25$isutilized to withdraw theempty drum'53' from the cistern 52' 'upon disconnection 'of 'thelashingropesI I5. To aid in the latter operation; I have provided a lifting bar I55 which, see;Fi'g.-l3, has hook ends to engage projecting'ears I58 at diametrically opposite points on the clamp band I22 surrounding the top of the drum '53 and which has acentral aperture I51 for engagement by the crane hook At theremaining corner of the truck'is a re ceptor -base I58 for a reserve supply grease drum 53m" with a supplemental removable cover 5111: from which is suspended'a heatingcoil 56a: like the-heating-coil 55 hereinbefore referred to." As shown inFigs. 2 and S-the terminal ends of the coil 5.6a: are connected through hoses 159 and- I19 toi the hotwater flowpipes 6Ia and 85, see Fig. 8, for the heater coil 55in the drum-53. When the reserve. drum 53rc-is to be substituted for-the empty: drum in the cistern, the-water flowto the coil 55in is shut off by closing the valves aty-8Ia and 8 I c. Thecover 51aris thereupon removed and the band I22 taken from the empty drum and placed around the fresh drum and the crane'I25 thereupon used with the yoke I55 to lift the substitute drum from the receptor I58 andplace it into the cistern 52. Finally the heating unit 54 is removed from the post I52 and lowered into the new grease drum 5350 now in the cistern 52 and theempty drum-53 placed in the receptor I58.

The improved mechanism which I have devised to facilitate removal and replacement of thetruck from and upon the rails R'includes a pair of skid bars I which are shown as formed from suitable lengths of heavy piping and arranged transversely of the truck, one adjacent each end thereof. As instanced in Figs. 3 and 4, an upright tongue I6I is secured centrally of the top of each bar I60, and said tongue slidably engaged in a guide I62 bolted or riveted to the corresponding 7 end beam I2 of the truck frame. Actuation of each bar I 60 is effected by a pair of vertically arranged double acting air cylinders I63 which, see Fig. 6, have trunnions I65 engaged in fixed bearings on the truck frame I0, and which have their piston rods I 68 pivotally connected at I69 to such bar somewhat inward of its ends. When air is admitted to the upper ends of the cylinders I63,

it will be seen that by action of said cylinders upon the skid bars I 80, the truck is lifted to clear the wheels l3 from the rails R, R, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The pivotal mounting of the cylinders I63 and the pivotal connection of the piston rods I68 with the skid bars I60 preclude binding of the parts during the raising or lowering of the truck from or onto the rails. To insure against accidental dropping of the truck either during removal or rerailing, there is associated with each skid bar arrangement a pin I which is passed through the guide I62 and into an aperture in the upper part of the tongue ISI, said tongue also having a second aperture H], see Fig. 4, through which the pin is passed to hold the skid bar normally elevated in the clear as in Fig. 3. Each skid bar I60 is limited in its upward movement by stops I12 suspended by brackets from the truck frame I0 at opposite sides, said stops being made to semicircular cross section to conform with said bars and to snugly receive them as in Fig. 3 so as to prevent them from being bent by impact with obstructions likely to be encountered along the track way. Air is conducted to the opposite ends of the cylinders I83 selectively by way of piping 113 from the reservoir 2| under control of reversible inlet and discharge hand valves I14 whereof one is provided for convenience at each end of the truck. Welded or otherwise permanently secured to the-outer ends of the skid bars I60 are caps I15 with clevised projections I16 adapted to be engaged by crow bars such as the one shown at I11 in Fig. 4 by aid of which the re-railin is eiTected after the truck is lifted from the rails as above explained.

When the exhaust gases from the engine are employed to heat the grease, upward discharge of I said gases through the engine exhaust pipe at 88a in Fig. 9 is prevented by a cap IBI which has a manipulating handle bar I82 at the top and a lateral outlet I83. At one side, the cap is form-ed with an S-shaped cam slot I84 to cooperate with a fixed stud I85 on the exhaust pipe 88a. By giving the cap I8! a partial turn and at the same time lifting it as far as permitted by the slot I84, it can be locked in the raised broken line position in which it is shown in Fig. 9 and so allow the gases to escape through the outlet I83 when heating of the grease is not desired or required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In railway track oil spraying apparatus, a wheeled truck with a platform; a receiver on the platform for a replaceable grease drum; 2. removable cover for the drum; a heating pipe coil extending from the cover down into the drum; a source of circulating fluent heating medium on the platform; flexible tubes extending from said source to the terminals of the heating coil at the drum cover; pump means on the drum cover for drawing heated grease from said drum; and

8 a flexible spray hose connected to the pump at the drum cover. 2. Spraying apparatus according to claim 1, further including hoist means on the truck for removing drum from the receiver after the grease supply is exhausted and lowering a substitute filled drum into the receiver.

3. In railway track spraying apparatus, a wheeled platform truck supporting separate sources of fluent heating media; an open top' cistern on the platform adapted to receive a replaceable grease drum and containing a liquid in which the drum is submerged and completely surrounded; a removable cover for the drum; a heating pipe coil extending down from the cover into the oil drum; tubing surrounding the submerged oil drum in the receiver; flexible conduits extending to the coil and the tubing terminals at the drum cover respectively to the separate sources of heating medium; a pump mounted on the drum cover for drawing heated grease from the drum; and a flexible spray hose connected to the pump at the drum cover.

4. Spraying apparatus according to claim 3, powered by an internal combustion motor of which the water cooling system and the exhaust manifold constitute the different sources of fluent heating medium.

5. Spraying apparatus according to claim 3, further including a housing on the platform for the spray hose; a flexible conduit extending to said housing from the inlet connection of the aforesaid tubing at the drum cover; and means for selectively controlling the flow of heating medium to the coil and the hose housing.

6. Spraying apparatus according to claim 3, further including suction pipe extending down from the pump on the drum cover through the heating coil to a point slightly above the drum bottom; an auxiliary heating element surrounding the lower end of the suction pipe; and piping extending down from the terminals of the coil at the drum cover to said auxiliary heating element.

WILLIAM RICHARDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date,

1,001,014 French Aug. 22, 1911 1,051,832 Dunn Jan. 28, 1913 1,243,188 Krausch et a1 Oct. 16, 1917 1,392,451 Rowe Oct. 4, 1921 1,715,140 Martin May'28, 1929 1,747,070 Graiilin Feb. 11, 1930 1,908,959 Cullen et al May 16, 1933 1,977,276 Holt et al. Oct. 16, 1934 2,082,430 Townsend June 1, 1937 2,118,294 Cox May 24, 1938 2,171,204 Vickers 1. Aug. 29, 1939 2,181,521 Reade Nov. 28, 1939 2,281,066 Eustis Apr. 28, 1942 2,401,316 Richards June 4, 1946 2,456,732

Pottharst Dec. 21, 1948 

